Means for receiving sheet material for printing machines



Sept, 2, 1947. F. o. TRUMP 2,426,957

MEANS FOR RECEIVING SHEET MATERIAL FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed May 26, 1945 JNVENTOR. FREDER/Ck O. TRUMP $47 (GD MA A T TORNEVS Patented Sept. 2, 1947 MEANS FOR RECEIVING SHEET MATERIAL FOR PRINTING MACHINES Frederick 0. Trump, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to General Aniline & Film Corporatiom New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 26, 1945, Serial No. 595,980 I This case pertains to an invention applicable to apparatus for dry printing machines of the Ozalid type and more especially to a print receiving table or stacking table for such machines. While reference is made to dry printing machines of the Ozalid type, it is to be understood that that terminology is used by way of illustration and that the invention is applicable to all similar machines which deliver prints or other sheet material and in which it is desirable to provide mechanism for receiving the delivered material in flat form and for stacking a plurality of such sheets for subsequent disposal.

Among the objects of the invention is that of providing a stacking table which is adapted to receive a plurality of discharged prints in the sequence of their delivery and to handle sheets of extremely large size, but to be adjustable so as to accommodate various sized sheets. It is another obJ'ect of the invention to provide a stacking table which may be adjustably held in a number of different angular positions relatively to the machine to which it is attached. It is also an object to provide such a table which shall be capable of folding to a non-active position in which it occupies little space beyond that normally occupied by the machine itself, thereby facilitating movement about the machine and allowing the machine to be positioned adjacent a wall in the event the stacking table is not employed: Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The disclosure hereinafter following is specific to one form which the invention may take and to a mechanism particularly adapted to be applied to a dry printing machine, such as disclosed in U. S. Patent 2,308,130. For this description, reference is made to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the stacking table in active or print receiving position as applied to a typical dry printing machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, showing the manner in which certain wire bows are resiliently held in position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the connection between the side pieces of the table and the supporting brackets therefor.

Dry printing or other machines of the type to which reference is herein made, deliver the originals from which prints are exposed at one position relative to the machine and discharge the prints themselves at a different location, gener- 7 Claims. (Cl. 271-86) ally one higher than that at which the originals are delivered. In certain of these machines, provisionhis made for delivering the prints either at the front of the machine or at the back. While there is no intention so to limit this application, the stacking table asdescribed and claimed is especially adapted to'use at the back of such a machine, that is, for receiving prints when the machine is set for rear delivery. Of course, when operating such-a machine, the person attending it inserts the originals and sensitized material at the front and also removes the printed originals from that same position. If front deliver?) is being employed, then that same operator can take away the prints, but if, as is frequently the practice, a rear delivery is employed, the printed material must be allowed to fall onto the floor or into some receptacle, or as is more frequently the practice, a second operator attends the machine at that side and actually takes the discharged prints, folding or otherwise disposing of them as is desired.

Now referring to Figs. 1 and 2, only a part of the printing machine itself is illustrated, the rest of the machine being cut away since a full description thereof may be found in the U. S. Patent 2,308,130, or a description of more advanced types of such a machine is readily obtainable by reference to literature published by the maker of them. So much of the machine is indicated by the broken section It, having a back plate H to which is attached a hinge 2. The table structure itself consists of a plate I3 which follows a rather gradual curve to be sharply and angularly bent downwardly as at M. This plate is attached to the other half of the hinge. Structural strength is imparted by two side members l5, the plate 13. being connected to the top curved edge of the side members l5 by welding or by any other satisfactory connecting means. Brackets l6, one at either side, support the table in a number of adjustable positions and, since said brackets are hinged as at H, they may be broken down'or folded to allow the table to be dropped to a relatively vertical position against the back edge of the machine. These brackets are hinged at their inner ends at I8-to a hinge support [9 which is in turn bolted to the back of the machine adjacent a suitable structural member which gives a rigid mounting for the purpose. The hinge I2 is likewise connected at a structural member within the frame casing so that the table which, when in active position, has considerable overhang, will be rigidly retained in that position even though it may be called upon to support a considerable weight of material.

Each of the side members l5 has an elongated slot 20 out lengthwise thereof and a plurality of notches 2| extending upwardly from the slot. The outer end of each brace I6 is provided with means for engaging one of the notches 21 and can easily be adjusted from one to another of these notches thereby to position the table at varying angles. Referring to Fig. 4, a detail of this part of the mechanism is shown. Brace l6 has a bolt 22 passing through it, said bolt also extending through a short sleeve or spacer 23 at the opposite end of whichare washers 24 and 25, the entire assembly being held in position by the nut 26. The outer diameter of sleeve 23 is slightly smaller than the width of one of the notches 2!. The sleeve is also long enough to project through the side pieces IS with a reasonable amount of clearance between the bracket L6 and the innermost washer 2 4. That allows easy adjustment of the brackets from one notch to another, yet provides a strong and relatively rigid rigid support for the table in any adjusted position.

To facilitate the sliding into position of the delivered prints, also to make it easy to remove them from the flat surface of the plate l3, and to provide supports for a series of adjustable stops, a plurality of wire blows 21 are secured at their inner or upper ends to an angular piece 28 attached to the top end of plate 13 adjacent the hinge i2. At'their opposite ends, each of these wire bows is bent more or less at right angles as at 2B and-projects through a clearance hole in the plate, extending inwardly to receive a spring 30, a washer 3i and a retaining pin 32, all as shown in. greater detail in Fig. 3. This spring 30. is under considerable tension and since the end 29 of each of the bows projects through a hole in the plate which is provided with considerable clearance, each spring draws its respective bow downwardly toward orinto contact with the upper surface of plate 13.

A plurality of stops generally indicated by numeral 33 are provided, one being retained on each of the wire bows 21. These stops are frictionally retained in position and may be set along the bows in that position which is best suited to the size of sheet being discharged and stacked on the table. Each of these stops has projecting from its lower edge, the plate engaging portions 34 and 35 which are drilled for the reception of the wire 21. These drilledholes allow sliding of the stop along its respective wire, but since they tend to be drawn downwardly against the surface of plate I3, the stops are held in position by the friction between the said plate contacting portions 34 and 35 and the plate. To increase that friction, suitable materials may be cemented or otherwise attached to tho contacting surfaces. These stops may be made of wood or of light metal, such as aluminum, aluminum alloys, or any other of the extremely light metals, such as the various magnesium alloys. The stops are notched at the sides as at 36 to provide a finger grip.

In operation, assuming the machine has been set for rear delivery of prints, and assuming the table has been raised to the position 'h'erein shown, or to one of its other adjusted positions, the stops are set in alignment and are nearer or farther from the hinge or back of the machine depending upon the size of the printed sheets being discharged; As those sheets are discharged, the ends thereof engage the smooth wire bows and slide downwardly thereof until stopped by engagement with the flat forward edge of the stops 33. A number of sheets can be received in similar fashion and, of course, the operator is assured that the sequence of the prints in the stack will follow the sequence in which the respective originals were printed. It is not necessary to give the device attention other than that of the original setting, except to remove the stack of prints when it has reached a height for which the stops 33 will no longer be effective. Of course, it will seldom be necessary to accumulate a number of prints so great that the stops would not easily provide for their reception.

The description has been more or less specific to the use of the device at the back of a machine of the type described or for so-called rear delivery. Of course, its position on the machine is not so limited and the terms front and rear are after all, more or less relative. It is intended that the device shall be employed in any position in which it may serve its purpose and that it may be employed at the sides of certain machines or even at the front or same side thereof as the original material is supplied to the machine or delivered therefrom.

In some installations it may not be desired to fold the table down out of active position. In such event, the hinge and braces may be replaced by non-folding and rigid connections. The folding braces may, in some instances be replaced by straight braces which shall be disconnectable at one end, thereby permitting folding or adjustment, or the construction may be modified to provide only one of those functions.

While reference has been made to a machine adapted to one of the so-called dry printing processes, it is not intended so to limit use of the device herein claimed to such mechanism only. It may be employed in other and similar machines, even though the printing process may not be one strictly classifiable as dry printing. The material received may be either the print or the original.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of Ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but i intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Means for receiving sheet material discharged from a machine for printing light sensitive material including in combination, an outwardly. extending, inclined supporting table, a plurality of wire bows extending in the direction of incline of the table, a plurality of stops, one for each bow and means by which said stops are retained by and slidable along the bows, said bows being resiliently urged toward contact with the surface of the table thereby to press the stops into frictional engagement therewith for retaining them in adjusted position.

2. Means for receiving sheet material discharged from a, machine for printing light sensitive material including in combination, an out wardly extending, inclined supporting table, a hinge for attaching said table to the machine, a folding brace by means of which said table may be held inactive position or may be dropped to an inactive position, a plurality of stops and means including friction-gripping means and other means for pressing said stops and gripping means into contact with said supporting table for retaining said stops in position along the table and permitting their adjustment relatively to the surface thereof.

3. Means for receiving sheetmaterial discharged from a machine for printing light sensitive material including in combination, an outwardly extending, inclined supporting table, a hinge by which said table is connected to the machine, a folding brace for retaining said table in active position and for permitting it to be dropped to an inactive position, a plurality of wire bows extending in the direction of incline of the table, a plurality of stops, one for each bow, and means by which said stops are retained by and slidable along the bows, and means for resiliently urging the bows into contact with the surface of the table thereby to press the stops into frictional engagement therewith for retaining them in adjusted position.

4. Means for receiving sheet material discharged from a machine for printing light sensitive material including in combination, an outwardly extending, inclined supporting table, wire bows extending in the direction of incline of the table, stops carried by said bows and being slidable along their length, means for resiliently urging the bows toward contact with the surface of the table to press the stops into frictional engagement therewith.

5. Means for receiving sheet material discharged from a machine for printing light sensitive material including in combination, an outwardly extending, inclined supporting table, said table comprising side pieces and a curved top plate, a hinge connected to said table and to the machine, braces pivoted adjacent the machine and having their opposite ends engageabl with one of a series of notches in the said side pieces for adjusting the angular position of the table, a plurality of stops and means including springpressed frictionally engageable devices for retaining said stops in position along the table and for ermitting their adjustment relatively to the surface thereof.

6. Means for receiving sheet material discharged from a machine for printing light sensitive material including in combination, an outwardly extending, inclined supporting table, said table comprising side pieces and a curved top plate, a hinge attached to said plate and. to the machine, side braces hinged adjacent said machine and having a pivot intermediate their ends on which they may be folded, a plurality of notches in the said side pieces and means at each end of said braces for selectively engaging said notches thereby to provide for angular adjustment of the table, a plurality of wire bows fixed adjacent the hinged end of the table and resilient means for drawing the opposite end of each bow toward contact with the surface of said curved plate, stops carried by the wire bows so constructed as to be slidable thereon and having a friction surface engageable with the surface of said plate thereby to be frictionally held in adjusted position.

7. Means for receiving discharged sheet mate rial including in combination, an outwardly extending, inclined, supporting table, wire bows extending in the direction of incline of the table, stops carried by and slidable along said bows, and means for resiliently urging the bows toward the surface of the table to press the stops into frictional engagement therewith.

FREDERICK O. TRUMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 382,402 Baltes May 8, 1888 631,841 Wood Aug. 29, 1899 1,657,595 Swift, Jr. Jan. 31, 1928 1,078,569 Ackerman Nov. 11, 1913. 2,262,510 Morrison et a1. Nov. 11, 1941 1,228,750 Crittenden June 5, 1917 417,884 Reynolds Dec. 24, 1889 795,164 Peckham et al. July 18, 1905 548,357 Eddy et a1 Oct. 22, 1895 

